A new life is given
by GlaceonFan
Summary: Raven is a boy of 15 who's parents are dead and he is given a new chance for a good life as a Sneasel.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first attempt at making a story. I am open to all criticism so feel free. Please enjoy. **

Chapter 1

The war begins

Our story begins in the town of Falkrone, located on the west side of mount silver it features a small hospital, as pokemon centers have not been invented yet, they instead have a vet, and a small market. the centerpiece of the town was the hot springs surrounding kanto's only ice rock the only way up to the town is a small path from the top of mount silver. In this town there lives a boy, a boy many would classify as a jock of sorts, he loved sports, hated to be a follower, and was always doing rash moves. Yet, under all this he was dependable and compassionate, defending the helpless when they needed him his name is Raven and this is his story.

Raven griped as he walked home from practice "Why, did dad move me out here after mom died?" he moaned as he looked at the three feet of snow that covered the driveway of his home. Eventually he managed to plow his way into the door and get inside, as he walked in the door he was nearly tackled right back out by his twin pet Eevees. The younger Eevee jumped on Raven's face and began to lick the cold out of his face; while the older one curled up on Raven chest.

"Saul get off of my face!" Raven yelled trying to suppress a laugh. Saul reluctantly got up and started jumping with joy to have his master home. "Dagan let me up!" Raven started to yell at the older of the two Eevees. Dagan just got up, stretched and hopped onto the sofa near at hand then as he fell back asleep. He purred for Raven had begun to stroke his ears. Raven looked down at the two Eevees the younger one with the classic cream and brown fur and the older one with the charred collar fur from the Magmar he had saved the two from. "How I wish I could have been there sooner to prevent that nasty scar from staying on your soft fur." Raven said reminiscing of that day during practice a year ago.

Back then he lived in Unova and was a halfway decent football player with lots of friends and a good education. One day as he was practicing with his teammates when he spotted a flame about twenty feet away in an alley; curious Raven stocked toward the alley and saw a two Eevees under attack by a Magmar. One Eevee (clearly the older) was between the Magmar and his brother with a burn mark on his collar from an ember attack. With that Raven started to charge the Magmar for his compassion for the Eevees was stirred. He tackled the Magmar into a large crate. Then he got up and kicked the magmar out of the alley. Turning to the Eevees he saw that the older one was the only one injured. Relieved Raven pulled a oren berry out of his lunch and gave it to the injured Eevees. At first it refused and growled at him in a threatening stance, but when it nearly passed out of pain it accepted and looked a little better but it was still in danger of death from the deadly burn. Not knowing what to do Raven decided to skip practice and take them back home to care for them. once the Eevees were better they refused to go back to the wild and so they became Ravens pets.

The slamming of the door brought Raven back to the present. He looked up from the old scar on Dagan's collar and starred as Raven's father came in from work with a strange look on his face. "What's the problem dad?" Raven asked a little concerned; he had never seen his dad look this way before.

It took a bit for the question to register on Raven's dad, but at last he looked up and said. "Unova and Johto have allied themselves and are declaring war on Kanto. To top that off Falkrone has become a forward base of the Allies." he sounded excited, Raven and his dad had always been true Unovans at heart. "Also I have to go to out on business; here is the code to my safe if I don't make it back." He sounded as a man preparing to go to his own grave and Raven didn't like it.

"Dad if it's just a business trip then why would you be in danger at all? It's not like people would kill anyone on sight?" Raven started to protest but his dad silenced Raven before he could finish.

"I'm being sent to the Silph co. in Kanto see if exports are still a possibility despite the war." Raven's dad put a combination code on the table, grabbed some dinner and was off to the airfield at the bottom of the mountain.

"Why does dad do this to us? Ever since mom died of cancer five years ago he keeps on taking time to be away when I need him here and now." Raven said, wondering about his dad. Raven glanced up at the clock. "It's only seven I have time to make it to the arcade." He remarked as he reached for his winter gear. He had hardly reached the closet for his coat when he heard a knock at the door. "Who could that be?" He said pondering as he looked through the door. Outside he saw two armed soldiers both looked stern and unyielding. Raven opened the door a crack and asked. "Yes? Can I help you?"

The older and larger of the two asked in a smart military tone. "Is your father here?"

"No he just left for a business trip and I don't expect him home for a few days at least." Raven responded.

The two soldiers exchanged looks and then nodded and walked off into the night as if they had not even been there; but as they were leaving Raven noticed the Kanto colors coming out of one the pockets of the younger one. Raven wondered what the Kanto communists would want with his father and more importantly how'd they got into the town. Raven would've gone ahead with his plan to go to the arcade if it had not been for this experience, instead he decided to get to bed and dismiss the soldiers as figments of his tired brain.


	2. Death to Change

**Hey guys sorry for the long time between posting, but I write only when I feel like it and I just haven't this past month and a half. Now on a different note buried in this chapter is a literary reference, can you find it?**

Chapter 2

Death to Change

Raven awoke the next morning to the sound of the mail truck crunching through the snow by his house. "Well I guess it's time to get up." Raven said thankful that it was Saturday and not a school day.

Raven shrugged on his extra thick coat; turning to the door, he opened it, letting a huge pile of snow fall into the front hallway. "Well, I guess it's time to shovel the walk." Raven commented grabbing his snow shovel and walking toward the pile of snow. "Dagan, Saul, could you guys give me a hand?!" Raven cried out to the two little Eevees asleep nearby. No sooner then he finished saying this Dagan and Saul got up and sprinted over, ready to help.

It took Raven a good hour and a half to make it to the mailbox, even with the Eevees help. After taking the mail in Raven finally sat down to breakfast while he read through the mail. "What's this?" Raven said looking at the strange military letter jutting out of the pile of mail. Curious Raven picked it up wondering why it would come to his house.

"Strange, it's addressed to me." Raven commented opening the letter.

_Dear mister Nevermore _

_We regret to inform you that, while your father was in transit from Falkrone to Saffron City the passenger plane he was on was shot down over Viridian Forest. We are sorry for your loss and hope you can move on._

_Sincerely, Johto Military._

Raven slowly looked up from the letter tears streaming down his face. Turning to the ceiling he cried out in agony and sorrow. "Why, oh why Arceus?!" Raven's head slowly sank back down and fell into his arms folded on the table. As Raven sat there, rage filled him and he picked up the nearby vase, throwing it across the room before sinking back into his arms. The sobbing was clearly audible as Raven shook in sorrow. Slowly Raven calmed himself looking up from his folded arms and said. "My father and mother are dead, my friends are three thousand miles away, and I'm stuck in a tiny town on the side of a frozen mountain, I have nothing to live for now."

Slowly, painstakingly slowly Raven got up and went to the kitchen, grabbing the biggest knife in the cooking drawer, then he lifted it to his chest. Raven moved to stab himself. But the blow never fell, for at that moment a streak of brown and white hit Raven's arm making him drop the knife. Raven stood in shock as he stared at Dagan's cold dark brown eyes; Saul jumped up next to Dagan and started to stare into Raven's eyes. The eyes of the two Eevees were like pools of dark liquid, calm and soothing; yet in these eyes a flame burned, a flame of passion, faith, friendship, and perseverance so strong that no demon of bygone days could snuff it out. Slowly Raven felt his hope rekindled by the flame of the Eevees, and he looked down as he moved to the stairs and sluggishly climbed up.

Raven stifled his sobs as best he could, a good seven hours had passed since he looked at the letter and his hunger was starting to get the better of his depression. Raven stumbled down stairs heading in the direction of the kitchen. As Raven reached the door kitchen he was stopped by Dagan. "Dagan please let me pass, I'm starving." Raven said pleading with Dagan. Dagan looked thoughtful, then he turned and ran into the kitchen shouting out a couple of short yips in pokemon language.

Raven started to walk into the kitchen when he spotted Saul and Dagan bringing a bowl of pecha berries (that had been on the counter to ripen) over to him. Dagan turned to Raven signaling that he should eat the berries. Raven sighed and picked up the bowl, he grabbed a few of the soft berries and tossed them into his mouth letting the sweet juices flow over his dry tongue, but he did not taste them in his depression.

Raven finished the bowl and walked up stairs to his bedroom, tired from crying all day over his father's death. Dagan and Saul watched the lonely figure ascend the stairs and disappear from sight. Dagan simply shook his head and said to Saul. "I wish we could help him more."

Saul turned back to his brother and nodded in agreement, then he said. "We better go up and make sure he's okay."

Raven sat on his bed, head in his hands sobbing slightly. Wearily he raised his eyes at the entrance of the Eevees. "Hey guys." He said half heartedly looking down at the two. "After all that has happened today, I don't know, I just wish I could a second chance at a good life." Raven said turning from the brother and yelling his wish to the ceiling. "I'm just going to go to bed and end this terrible dream." Raven said flopping down on his bed and closing his eyes. Dagan and Saul just looked at each other and began to leave the room, but something drew their attention.

Raven was staring into the strange void of his dreams. "What is this place?" Raven thought aloud as he walked alone in the void. As he walked he spotted a strange mass of creatures coming toward him. The strange creatures began to pick up speed until they were close enough to see clearly. Raven stared at them until he realized what they were, Beedrill hundreds of thousands of them all barely two inches high charging straight at him. Raven began to flee from the swarm but his dream threw him back at them, they began to sting him all over and wherever they stung him it burned like a flamethrower attack. After the Beedrill were finished Raven struggled to his feet, he felt like he was on fire all over. Never had he experienced such excruciating pain. As he looked about he saw his parents coming towards him "Mom? Dad?" he asked weakly. Both his parents smiled down at him as a rumble started to shake the floor. Scared Raven looked around but when he looked back at his parents he saw a machamp standing in their stead. The machamp grinned villainously as it picked up Raven by the arm and began to crush him. Raven opened his mouth to scream but the sound that came out surprised him. A strange hissing sound was all that came from his mouth. The machamp grabbed his shoulders and legs and began to crush him until he was just under three feet tall, then it started on his ears pulling them to the top of his head and stretching them out farther than Raven ever thought they could go. When Raven's ears reached the top of his head the machamp started to pull his tailbone out and split it into three parts. Finally after this torture the machamp left Raven, he was so tired and sore from the whole experience and slipped into the blackness of his sleep undisturbed by any more dreams.

**And quick note The eevees can't talk human they were talking to themselves at that point that confused my brother when he read it**


	3. A new life dawns

Hey, again sorry for not posting in so long. Anyway enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 3

A new life dawns

Raven awoke with a start, sweat dripped from his head as he calmed himself down. "What a horrid dream." Raven said then he noticed the sound of voices outside the door.

"This is so strange…" The first voice said

"I know, but we got to stay calm," a slightly deeper voice replied.

"Yes I know. It's just hard when things like that happen in front of you," the first voice said.

Raven began to panic, these voices didn't belong to anyone he knew. He reached to pull the covers off when he stopped dead. His entire arm was covered in soft purple fur and his hands had been replaced with a two clawed paw. Fear coerced through Raven as he looked over himself, his body was covered with this strange fur, from the top of his head, down to the start of his tail. Wait… Tail?! Raven's Face lit up with shock at the three feathers that made a small tail on his rear. "W...What is happening?!" Were the only words that Raven could muster.

Raven heard an eary creek, surprised he looked up to see the intruder, but all he saw was Saul walking in.

"Oh, good you're awake," Saul said, causing Raven to take a double take. "Dagan he's awake!"

"D...Did, you just speak?"

"Yes! I did." Saul replied a little annoyed.

"B...B...But how is that possible?"

"Look at yourself! You're Pokémon just like I am!"

"Saul, give him a break," Dagan said as he walked in. "He just transformed, rather unexpectedly I might add, so don't be too hard on him."

"Fine brother," Saul replied submissively.

"What is going on?!" Raven asked fear in his voice.

"Well…" Dagan began. "How do we explain this?"

"You can start with why am I a Sneasel." Raven said, a little annoyed that they didn't just tell him.

"Ha! He's just as impatient as I am," Saul proclaimed.

"I'm sure I would be too if I changed suddenly like he did," Dagan retorted.

"Hey, stop talking like I'm not here," Raven said.

"Sorry, brotherly disputes," Dagan explained. "Anyway when you fell asleep last night Saul and I were downstairs talking, about what we could do to help you, when we heard a scream of pain. Well, neither one of us knew what was going on so we ran up stairs and saw you writhing in pain as your new fur began sprouting all over your body. We, um… aren't sure what happened to your clothes, they kind of... turned into your fur as you changed."

"Anyway after the fur came we got really scared, then you began to shrink till you became the height you are now," Saul finished.

"Oh and before we forget we had to bar the door because the neighbors began banging on it trying to get you to stop screaming," Dagan added.

"Yeah I had to lie on your face to get you to shut up."

"That explains all this brown fur in my mouth," Raven said wiping off his tongue. "But why did I change?"

"Good question," Dagan said as Saul bursts out laughing.

"Is something funny?" Raven asked irritably

"You two sitting here wondering why you changed when it's obvious," Saul stated smugly.

"Oh really? Well if it's so obvious then why don't you enlighten us?" Dagan said.

"Well, you see you both wished for something yesterday. Raven, you wished to start a new life, and Dagan, you wished to be able to help Raven. This transformation answered both wishes," Saul explained.

"Gosh Darn it you're right," Raven said in realization.

"Yeah, I know I am," Saul said, a little self satisfied.

"Do you have to be so stuck up?" Dagan said, exasperated.

"Yes," Came the reply.

"Is this normal?" Raven asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Dagan said in reply.

"Wow…" Was all Raven could say.

"I don't see a problem with it," Saul said in defense.

"Yeah, I know that's part of the problem," Dagan said.

"Ahem, as much as I would like to see how this plays out, shouldn't we decide what to do next?" Raven interjected.

"Right we can't stay here for long. This place will be a war camp before too long, and we don't want patrols or enlisting agents finding us. Dagan said.

"How do you know those will come about?" Saul asked.

"I read in my spare time, unlike you," Dagan said.

"That's because all the books around here are as boring as they come," Saul said.

"Says you." Dagan retorted.

"Um… guys, let's get back to the task at hand," Raven said, trying to redirect the conversation.

"Yeah I guess we should…" Dagan said.

"So we can't stay here and we don't have a tent or anything for outdoor travel." Raven said.

"We don't need a tent," Saul said. "We're Pokémon."

"That doesn't make me want one any less," Raven said.

"Well, too bad. We don't have one and we will need to leave soon," Saul said evenly.

"He has a point," Dagan said.

"Yeah, yeah," Raven said.

"I say we leave tonight after we get something to eat," Dagan said as his stomach growled.

"We might find something in the pantry," Raven suggested.

"Why go rummaging through the pantry? You left the food bag open by our dishes. Let's just eat that," Saul said.

"Eat Pokémon food?" Raven shuddered at the thought of eating Pokémon food.

"Relax, you're a Pokémon now. Other than wild Pokémon, it's what you eat," Saul tried to reassure him but only succeeded in making him vomit.

"Jeez, you don't have to vomit. It's the truth," Saul said, not understanding Raven's reaction at all.

"Eating wild Pokémon? As in raw?" Raven said in disbelief.

"Yeah, so?" Saul replied.

"Raw?! I love meat but, raw? That's just nasty," Raven said.

"Saul, remember he's not as used to the idea as us two," Dagan said, coming to Raven's defense.

"That makes no difference in my mind," Saul said.

"Well, that's because you can't for the life of you think about how another feels," Dagan retorted.

"Look can we just move on from this topic?" Raven asked while clutching his stomach. With that the conversation switched to what was to be done now that Raven was a Pokémon. Eventually, the decision was made that they must leave the next day and make for Mount Silver, and eventually go to Viridian Forest in the hopes of paying their respects to Ravens father.

"Well then, with all that of the way, let's get something to eat," Saul said after all was said and done.

"Yes, let's," Raven agreed as his stomach rumbled like a volcano.

"Ha-ha. I'll go get my food dish," Dagan laughed.

"Food dish? So I guess I have to get used to eating off the floor," Raven said regretfully as Dagan went off to get his food dish.

"It's not so bad," Saul said with a smirk at Raven's disgusted face.

"Oh, really? I'll let you know if I agree," Raven replied, disgust still on his face.

At that moment, Dagan arrived back in the room, his full food dish in his mouth. "What are you two going on about?" Was what he asked after he set the dish down.

"Food stuffs," Saul replied.

"Well, here are the food stuffs, so dig in!" Dagan said, and started to eat the little balls of Pokémon food. Saul joined him but Raven looked on a strange conflict being warred in his mind. "Hey, Raven what's wrong?" Dagan asked, seeing the strange look on Raven's face.

Raven looked down at the food, as his mind raced. Why did the food smell so good? Why did he suddenly want to eat it when he wouldn't touch the stuff when he was human? And what was this strange feeling besides his hunger that made him want to grab the food and eat it? His mind was racing for what felt like an eternity before he noticed that he was now eating. "What just happened? What was that feeling?" Was all that Raven could stammer out.

"What are you talking about? You just took a little bit to start eating," was Saul's reply. Raven looked down as he became lost in thought. _What was that? Do I have Pokémon instincts? Is my mind more Pokémon than human now?_ Were the questions that ran through his mind. The questions were still racing about when Raven fell asleep later.


	4. The deserter

**Alright! Finally got my new chapter up. This is the longest chapter yet and I hope the best. Please leave a review with some feedback so I can continue to improve my writing.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. If I ever do I will let you know.**

Chapter 4

The Deserter

Raven awoke the next morning, his mind still racing with questions. He looked about him hoping that the events of yesterday were all a dream he could dismiss without trouble. But alas, it was not to be. He had only to open eyes to see that everything was quite real, his fur, his tail, everything. "Arg" Raven growled in frustration "I want my body back!" He roared.

Saul leapt up from sleep at the roar. "Jeez, you could have waited until we were up," he said irritably. Slowly Saul got up and stared, annoyed, at Raven.

"Sorry," Raven replied.

"Humph," was all that Saul said.

Yawning, Dagan stood up and said, "can't we just get along?"

"Well, if you can get him to stop yelling, we might," Saul said

"Why do I even bother?" Dagan said to nobody in particular. "Anyway we best get something to eat before we head out today."

"I guess," Raven replied sullenly as he thought of his stupid wish.

"Hey, you're a Pokemon now. Stop being so glum," Saul said unconcernedly.

"You just make my blood boil," Raven replied.

"Oh boy, this will be a long trip," Dagan said to nobody.

As breakfast started, tempers flared up more and more. Saul kept on annoying Raven with his unconcerned remarks, and Saul could not stand how long it was taking Raven to adjust. Dagan, was just annoyed at the others for not getting along. The day continued as it had started, bad. After breakfast they had conferred among themselves when they should set out, Saul said to wait and enjoy having the house to themselves while Raven wanted to head out immediately and find his father's remains. This argument was finally settled by Dagan reminding them that they couldn't stay with the soldiers about.

And so they set out, a sneasel and his eevee companions off to find a dead man. "He better still be at the crash site," Saul said.

"They likely haven't moved it too far if it's not there," Raven said.

"Oh, that's comforting!" Saul replied.

"Guys let's just move out," Dagan said, trying to keep the peace.

"Fine, but this trip had better not be a waste of time," Saul said. Raven rolled his eyes, but he knew in his heart that his chances of finding his dad's body were slim in any case. Soon the trio left the house Raven had known behind. Trekking through the snow none of them noticed a small star shaped Pokemon looking at them from behind the house.

"Go, young lad. Arceus has a plan for all of this, just wait and you will understand." Smirking the small Jirachi floated off to tell its lord of its good work.

Dodging into an alley, Dagan waited to signal when the soldiers had passed by. "Time to go, we won't get another chance," He hissed to Raven and Saul behind him. Quickly the trio slipped to the edge of the fence surrounding the city and began to get over it. Soon all three stood in the snow outside the city. "Now which way?"

"East," Raven said immediately. "We need to go over Mount Silver and into the forests. But first we must navigate the rocks around here."

"That should be easy enough," Saul commented, setting off toward the mountain without a backward glance at his companions.

"Hey wait up!" Dagan called after him as he tried to work his way through the snow. "We need to stick together!" He said as he tripped into a snow drift.

"We lived on the streets for how long and you can't even remember how to get through snow?" Saul said showing how amused he was that his brother had fallen into the snow.

"It's been a few years since I had to, okay?" Dagan said.

"Yeah well maybe if you went outside with me you wou- " Saul began before a shout from Raven distracted him.

"Get down!" Raven shouted as he fell flat in the snow and loud whistle hissed through the air as something thudded into the tree behind him. Dagan and Saul immediately leapt into the snow drift as a human's silhouette was visible behind a tree 300 feet away. The Silhouette raised its rifle again before stopping.

"Phew, it was just a sneasel," The human said with a young feminine voice as it lowered the gun. "Rare to see one out of its cave this time of day." It steped out of the shadows. The woman, for indeed it was a woman, was young, probably about 19 at the oldest. Her black hair was contained partially under the soldier's cap she wore and her green eyes shown with fear and curiosity. She wore a Johto soldiers' uniform without any sign of which regiment she belonged to. "What's it doing out here?" she asked with her eyes focused so intently on Raven that she missed Dagan and Saul in the snow.

Raven's eyes were trained on the rifle the woman held and for a moment he couldn't say a thing then the woman looked apologetic. "Sorry, your shadow looked like a soldier coming to get me back," She said with a nervous glance around.

Raven wondered if she might be able to understand him and tried to say hello but all that came out was "Sneas."

She raised her eyebrow with confusion written on her face "Are you trying to talk to me?" She asked in bewilderment. Suddenly a Saul sneezed behind her and with a jolt of surprise she spun around, whipped her gun out, and fired at the spot Saul was standing a mere second before. "Eevees? What are all these Pokemon doing out?" Her surprised shout soon turned to nothingness as she remembered the danger she was in. "Dangit!" A shout sounded in the distance followed by a gunshot as the woman clutched her shoulder. "I really hate those guys," she said as blood dripped onto the ground.

Saul stood in horror at the sight of the blood, his eyes fixed on it as his breath came shorter and faster. "Saul calm down!" Dagan shouted at him. "We need to get out of here before we are shot too." More gunshots sounded and the yells of soldiers became apparent.

Dagan began guiding Saul from the scene and Raven started to run after them before turning back. "Dagan, we can't leave her."

"Are you sure it's wise? She's obviously a deserter from the army," He replied quickly.

"But she could die, I don't want a death on my head," Raven said as he ran back, a bullet clipped his feather ear as he ran. "Come on!" He said as he grabbed the woman's arm and ran.

"I see a cave up ahead," Dagan called back to the pair. They all broke into a run as a rubble sounded from above "Avalanche!" Sure enough the side of Mount Silver had given away due to the gunshots and was sliding down at an alarming speed. "Hurry!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Raven ran like the wind, his ice type prowess allowing him to virtually fly along the snow. The only thing weighing the young Sneasel down was the woman he led behind him. The avalanche had nearly reached the ground when they dived into the cave. "Let's never do that again," Raven panted from the wall he leaned on.

Raven was the first to grow accustomed to the light, he looked around and saw it was a medium sized chamber with some columns of stone holding up the back of the ceiling. "Well could be worse," he commented to himself. That's when he noticed the woman, she lay there half buried in the snow at the entrance, she was barely breathing with all the snow on her. "Oh, no." He started to pull her further into the cave but the snow held her firm to the spot. "Dagan, Saul give me a hand!"

"Okay!" Dagan ran over tripping over himself in the dark before grabbing the girl's sleeve. Together they managed to dig her out and drag her into the cave. "I guess we will be here awhile," Dagan said when he had caught his breath after the workout.

"Let's just hope we can get out of here," Saul said from the back of the cave. "I don't want to starve to death."

"Always a pessimist," Dagan said as he tried to revive the woman with licks.

Slowly the woman awoke. "Ugh." She sat up slowly rubbing her head. She tried to stand up but she instantly let out a cry of pain as she slumped back down. "My legs!" Raven glanced down at her legs and noticed blood on the back of one, as he moved closer to look at it. She pushed him aside and looked at it. "Just a small fracture," She said hopefully. She turned her head slowly around the cave. "Where is my rifle and pack?"

Dagan stepped forward with the pack dragging in the dust behind him. "Ah, thank you eevee," she opened up the pack and pulled out a small kerosene lamp and a box of matches. She struck a match and lit the lamp filling the cave with light causing Raven to cringe, shielding his eyes. "Much better," she said approvingly. "And I suppose I owe these three pokemon my life," she said with an amused look. Dagan gave a curt nod and sat down. "Well I might as well give you my name. My name is Ann, Ann Marie."


	5. Reflections

**Hey, I finally finished this chapter. Well more accurately I've been waiting for my sister to be free so she could look it over. Anyway enjoy and leave a review so I can continue to get better.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon if I ever do I will let you know.**

Chapter 5

Reflections

Raven awoke long before dawn. At first he was confused by the dark cave until the memory of yesterday's events came flooding back to him. "Did I do the right thing in saving Ann?" He stood up. "Now we'll have to dodge the military everywhere we go if she tags along." He sighed. "This is going to be a long journey," he looked down at his companions sleeping peacefully around him. "Well I guess what's done is done." Looking to the snow covered entrance, he groaned. "I guess I'll have to clear that mess out of here." And with that he set to work.

Raven dug for hours. He began to think he would never see the sun again then his arm touched fresh air. "Finally!" With a strength born of fear and desperation he pushed himself through the snow and out into dawn's light. He breathed in the cool breeze and let the sun shine on his face. The tops of trees shown above the glistening snow, pidgeys chirped in their branches and a few murkrow returned to their nests from their nightly ventures. He was so lost in the peace he nearly missed the glint of the old gold bell from its steeple, the last part of the town above the snow. "Is that truly all that is left? Where will I live?" Raven's voice felt weak, and his words were like a load of bricks on his heart as he realized he had nothing left no home, no family, not even his humanity. "Is this to be my life? Running and hiding? Am I to be searching for my father's remains my whole life?" He felt the answers to all these questions were as clear as sun on his eyes, he probably would.

His stomach growled as he realized he hadn't eaten since yesterday's breakfast. "Man, I've got to find something to eat." Driven by hunger, he climbed out of the hole. "Let's see what's out here right now…" His mind set on food he began his search. At first all he found were a few shriveled berries sticking about the snow, his heart began to sink until he smelled a strange scent he had never smelled before. "What is that? It smells wonderful." He followed the scent until he spotted a small pidgey unconscious and half frozen in the snow. "Is this what smelled so good?" His thoughts darted about wondering why he was led here. "If it doesn't get somewhere warm soon it will die. But I'm an ice type, if I touch it I might make it worse..." He knew he didn't have time to think longer on it. Gingerly he used his claws to lift up the near lifeless bird. "Come on live!" His heart pounding with fear for the bird he sprinted off to the cave.

Saul was up and pacing when Raven arrived at the cave. "There you are!" He exploded at him when he entered. "Please tell me you went hunting," he added eyeing the pidgey hungrily.

"It's not food. We've got to help it." Raven responded.

"Jeez, you know nothing about surviving in this wilderness do you?"

"I've lived in the city my whole life," Raven said coolly.

"It shows. You can't help every creature in the wild. Some can't be helped and provide us with some tasty food," Saul said as he bent his head to sniff the pidgey. "And it looks like you found one that can't be saved." His jaws opened as he gripped the wing and began to tear it off.

Raven turned his head from the scene, he felt confused, he had never known that living in the wild would mean killing to survive. "Hey you going to take some or not?" Saul called from the kill, blood dripped from his muzzle as he spoke. "It's still warm on the inside." Reluctantly Raven turned back around and sat down to eat. Cutting a piece off of the bird with his claw he nibbled it lightly, savoring the taste of the flesh but hating himself for bring it here only to be eaten.

A mumble from Ann diverted Raven's attention; she was stirring from her slumber. "Well she's waking up," he commented. "Sleep well?"

"What?"

Raven face palmed. "Did I seriously forget again?"

"Yes, yes you did," Saul said, a smirk across his face.

"How can we communicate to her?" Raven asked a little unease in his voice.

"Simple, we don't," Saul replied curtly.

"Can't we at least try something?" As Raven spoke he noticed a small notebook and pen in Ann's pack. Seeing it as a chance to communicate he lunged for it, his mind set on an idea born of the past.

"Hey what are you doing?!" Ann said trying to stop Raven. She would have succeeded too had it not been for her leg. Taking up the notebook, Raven thought of all the letters he wrote to an old friend in unova. After many times dropping the pen and jumping out of Ann's reach he finally managed to grip the pen between his claws and began to write.

"_Hey," _the writing was sloppy. It looked like something a three year old would write next to a doodle. But with his paws, it was the best he could do and brought the right reaction.

"You can write?" Ann asked after rereading the word several times to make sure it was a word.

"_Yes," _Below this he wrote down his name, and the names of his companions pointing to each as he wrote their name.

"You all have names?!" She cried out in astonishment. "I didn't think wild Pokémon had names…" she added under her breath.

Raven was trying to think of a reply to this that wouldn't freak her out when a voice said. "You might as well tell her." Raven spun around and saw Dagan waking up behind him. "She'll probably find out sooner or later. Best to have it be now,"

Raven looked at him for a long moment, finally seeing the logic in his words he began his narrative. Due to his horrible skill with the pen the tale lasted through the day and well into the night, at the end of it all Ann simply stared dumbfounded as all the information sunk in.


	6. Chapter 6: Thoughts

**I'm back guys, and with a new chapter. Now before I get started I want to address a review I got on my last chapter.**

**I understand why you are upset at the lack of content for such large intervals in time and I understand you wanting more. But I would like to say that this story is just a hobby of mine I do every now and then when I want to write. Furthermore I have never been into writing. This is the first story I have ever attempted and I am taking it slow so that I don't mess up too royally. I also am limited by my sister's scheduled, she is who I go to to review these chapters before I publish them. So sorry that these chapters are short but they are the best I can do.**

**And now to the story.**

Chapter 6

The thoughts

The light of the setting sun shone through the passage of snow, like tongues of flame. Ann had barely moved since the story had concluded, her face was a picture of wonder and confusion. Raven sat a little apart trying to breathe life back into his sore paw. Saul was licking the blood from his fur, his hunger satisfied for a while. Dagan crouched alone by the last of the Pidgey, eating what was left. The silence of the group was almost suffocating, like a heavy fog it floated through the cave. At length Saul coughed, the spell was broken, and everyone stirred from their thoughts. "I'm coming to help find your dad." Ann's statement came as a shock to Raven, though he couldn't complain about it.

"_Are you sure?"_ Raven wrote before going back to massaging his paw.

"Yes. I was running from the army anyway. Might as well do something while I'm at it," she said with all seriousness.

Raven looked to his cohorts to find their opinions on the matter. Saul merely shrugged. "So long as she doesn't get in our way." Raven shook his head at the begrudging nature of the Eevee and fixed his gaze on Dagan.

"... We could use the help. We're not about to fight soldiers ourselves." His reply, like always, was logical No hint of sarcasm was hidden in its depths.

Raven turned back to Ann, with a nod and a smile, answering her hidden question of whether they would allow her. "Thank you." Her smile showed her semi white teeth and her eyes were like pools of compassion, "When do we leave?"

"_Soon_" Raven scratched into the floor to save paper.

"Raven? Aren't you forgetting her leg? She can't go far on that." Dagan said, pointing to the leg with his tail. "The bone is jutting out for crying out loud!"

"Right, forgot about that…" Raven's voice trailed off as he tried to figure a solution.

"You could learn how to fight and hunt while we wait." Saul said from across the room.

Dagan stared at his brother with slight awe. "That is the first bit of actual advice you have given this entire time."

"Don't act so surprised. I can be smart, You just haven't noticed before." He replied.

"Conceited as usual." Raven commented to himself. Then, with a reluctant sigh, he spoke out loud. "I suppose I could use the training if I'm going to be stuck like this."

"Good we'll start tomorrow then," Saul said.

Begrudgingly, Raven agreed to the next day training session.

The next day started too early for Raven's tastes, he had barely woken up when Saul had dragged him outside for the training. He was groggy, irritable, and just plain not in a good mood. "What's the big idea of making me train **this** early in the morning?" Raven asked with undisguised hatred.

"You're a rookie. You need all the training you can get. Now stop complaining and show me what you can do." Saul replied.

Raven was slow. He tried his hand at a scratch attack but Saul simply sidestepped it. "Is that the best you can do?" He taunted. Raven tried once again but Saul countered it with a quick attack. Raven fell back; he was so weak he couldn't believe it. Saul, seeing an opportunity, hit Raven with another attack.

Raven skidded a few feet. "Why can't I fight?" He asked himself. He turned his gaze back on Saul, He felt angry with himself and with Saul. His mind thought up all the bad things he could do to him as the Eevee came around for another attack. His dark thoughts and emotions kept on swirling in his mind as he raised his claw to defend himself. But the blow never fell, instead Saul was sent flying by a strange pulsing black energy.

"You know Dark Pulse?" Saul exclaimed from his landing point.

"Is that what I used?" Raven asked as all his dark thoughts faded. He extended his hand again but unlike before the attack did not manifest. "Why doesn't it work now?"

"I don't know," Saul replied as he shook the snow from his pelt. "Ask Dagan,"

Raven looked about him, Dagan wasn't in sight. "Where is he?"

"How should I know?" Saul snapped. "Probably out hunting,"

Raven rolled his eyes and went out to find Dagan. At the entrance to the cave he picked up the tracks of his friend and began to follow them. His search lead up the mountain, after a little bit he began to worry because the tracks were fading in the snow. "Dagan? Where are you?" He called.

"Shh!" Came the reply from ahead. "Raven just stay quiet and get behind something."

Raven dived behind a boulder on his left and peered out. From his vantage point he could just make out Dagan's tail sticking out from behind a bush. It looked like he was intent on something ahead and was stealthily sliding towards it. Raven felt the tension in Dagan's movements and in a second that seemed to hang just a bit too long he sprung. "Okay you can come over now,"

Raven came out of his hiding place; Dagan was standing over the body of a murkrow that had been out of its nest too long. "Nice catch," he commented.

"Thanks, though I doubt you followed me up here to watch me hunt," Dagan replied as he laid down, curling his tail under him. "So what is it?"

"I want something explained so I can use it again," Raven sat next to Dagan and relayed the story of his dark pulse attack. "So what I want to know is how to trigger the energy."

Dagan remained silent, his face showed him in deep thought. "Do you have any idea?" Raven asked impatiently.

"No…" Was the reply. "I don't know the move."

"Okay. Thanks anyway," Raven said as he stood and picked up Dagan's fresh kill. His gaze wandered to the heavens and he saw the peak of the mountain. "We will have to cross that…"

"Yup and it will be quite the climb," Dagan added.

Their gaze wandered back down the mountain, they could see far from where they were. The landscape below where the avalanche hit looked pleasant and inviting. "All that open safety… What I would give to live there when this is over," Raven commented half to himself and half to Dagan, though he knew his path was set for finding his father.

"Maybe you will one day," Dagan replied.

"I hope so. It'll be good to stay in a calm place,"

Dagan looked at his friend. "We should get down to the cave now," He said.

Raven shook the thoughts of his past life from his mind. "I guess you're right." And with the fresh kill carried by Raven they set off down the winding mountain way.


End file.
